Several local small businesses, faced with plummeting sales entering this holiday season due to unforeseen circumstances, have turned to a new method of keeping the doors open – pleas for help from the public. A growing number of small business owners have recently posted heartfelt pleas on social media about not being able to pay […]
Newsletter – This Month SBJ
Posted inColumns
An alternative to the ER
As many as 70% of patients who seek care in the emergency rooms of Springfield Memorial Hospital or HSHS St. John’s Hospital could be served quicker, and at less cost, by a new outpatient facility scheduled to open in early January. That’s the view of the future co-medical directors of Springfield Clinic’s Urgent Care Plus, […]
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Viper Mine announces closure
Operations at the Viper Mine in Elkhart are shutting down after the city of Springfield chose a cheaper coal supplier for its electrical power plant. The mine, which at its peak employed about 300 miners, now is down to a skeleton crew responsible for dismantling equipment, Jim Smith, president of Knight Hawk Coal, told Illinois […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
15 Under Fifteen – 2024
This is the 22nd year that Springfield Business Journal has partnered with United Community Bank to recognize 15 outstanding small businesses in the local area. To qualify, a business must be located in Sangamon or Morgan county, have been open for at least two years and have 15 or fewer full-time employees. A business is […]
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Meeting the financial needs of a multigenerational workforce
A recent survey found that 78% of U.S. employers say their workers are financially stressed, as compared to 71% in 2023. Meanwhile, survey findings also show that employers are continuing to feel the squeeze financially with the increased costs of benefits, worker retention and recruiting. PNC Bank released findings from its second annual Financial Wellness […]
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Commercial property insurance 101
Commercial property insurance The recent fire on Adams Street downtown has raised some interesting questions about commercial property insurance coverage, especially from a tenant’s perspective. When leasing a commercial space, tenants generally focus on the main terms of the lease, typically the rent and the question of which party bears the expense of maintenance and […]
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Work hard, play hard
I fancy myself a pretty funny person. In my house we don’t tell dad jokes; the punny zingers are usually delivered by mom and are met with exaggerated eye rolls (and for an especially good one, exasperated sighs) by my 12 and 14-year-old sons. I often use humor to lighten a tense mood, ensure others […]
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A worldwide company that gives back locally
Locally founded Bunn-O-Matic Corporation is a worldwide beverage equipment company, and its coffee makers are commonplace globally. But there’s another aspect to what they dispense, and that’s corporate citizenship. As is stated on BUNN’s website, “At Bunn-O-Matic, being a good corporate citizen is embedded in our primary mission, ‘To act with purpose to make a […]
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Q&A with Brian Barstead
Brian Barstead graduated from Illinois State University with a bachelor’s degree in medical technology and biology and initially worked for HSHS St. John’s Hospital in hematology. He met his wife Nancy there, and the couple has now been married 41 years. They reside in Rochester and have one adult son, Alex. After receiving an MBA […]
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Veteran bankers weigh in on current trends
Lingering inflation, higher-than-desired interest rates and an upcoming election are just a few issues influencing the willingness of consumers to borrow money. On the other side of the coin, bankers are combatting epic proportions of fraud and navigating a commercial lending market that has been shaped by the pandemic. Mark Vance, regional president and senior […]
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Learn how to do business with the state of Illinois
The Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS) will host the 2024 State of Illinois Vendor Summit on Thursday, Oct. 17. The Summit, now in its third year, will take place at the CMS Regional Complex, 4800 Wabash Ave., from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. This event offers an opportunity for businesses to learn about […]
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Stacy Kelly joins Senior Services of Central Illinois
Stacy Kelly has a new job as the Choices for Care coordinator for Senior Services of Central Illinois, and she says this position has allowed her to return to her passion for working with seniors. Kelly was most recently the volunteer and program coordinator for United Way of Central Illinois. Prior to that, she spent […]